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Lee throws five scoreless innings vs. Red Sox

Left-hander allows three hits with three strikeouts; Byrd drives in pair of runs

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Byrd's RBI double 0:16

3/15/14: Marlon Byrd drives in Ben Revere with a single to left field to put the Phillies on the board in the first inning

By Paul Casella
/
MLB.com |

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- In a Grapefruit League duel between two of the most accomplished lefties in the game, Jon Lester and Cliff Lee both turned in strong performances for their teams on Saturday night.

The Phillies, helped mainly by offense following Lester's departure, went on to a 4-1 victory at JetBlue Park.

Lee mowed the Red Sox down over five shutout innings, allowing three hits and a walk while striking out three.

"Really, everything was working well tonight," Lee said. "I was throwing curveballs for strikes early in the count, had a good changeup, throwing cutters for strikes, locating fastballs. So really everything was right where I wanted it to be."

And in typical Lee fashion, he worked at a fast pace.

"You find yourself trying to match his rhythm and tempo and all that. It's one of those deals, he's special because of that," said Lester. "I don't think anyone can replicate it. It's his style and it's worked for him for a long time. You have to go out there sometimes and say, 'Slow down, you don't need to be Cliff Lee and go that fast.' At the same time, it helps you speed up too. It's fun to watch a guy like that, especially how well he throws strikes with everything."

Lester, making his second start of Spring Training, allowed a run on two hits over four innings, walking one and striking out five. Boston's likely Opening Day starter threw 68 pitches, 44 of them for strikes.

Red Sox sinkerballer Burke Badenhop was on the mound when the Phillies scored three runs in the top of the fifth.

Byrd also came through with an RBI double against Lester in the top of the first.

Jonny Gomes put the Red Sox on the board with a towering solo homer over the Green Monster in the bottom of the seventh.

Up next: The Phillies return to Clearwater on Sunday, where they will send right-hander Sean O'Sullivan to the mound against left-hander Adam Wilk and the Pirates at 1:05 p.m. ET at Bright House Field. O'Sullivan will be making his fourth appearance (second start) this spring as he continues to compete for the potential early-season rotation spot that may be available as a result of the injuries to Cole Hamels, Jonathan Pettibone and Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez. O'Sullivan had started the spring with five shutout innings before being tagged for six runs off eight hits over 2 2/3 innings on Tuesday against the Braves. The game will be available on MLB.TV.

Paul Casella is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @paul_casella This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.